The year has only just started, and it’s already all change at Chelsea.

New Year’s Day saw the news of Enzo Maresca’s departure break, and then within a week, Liam Rosenior was announced as his permanent replacement.

The former Strasbourg boss has quite the job on his hands for the rest of the season, as while the squad is hugely talented, the side is currently three points off fourth in the Premier League.

Fortunately, the transfer window is now open, and if BlueCo act quickly, they could land Rosenior someone who’d be Chelsea’s best signing since Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea should move for Caicedo-level signing

While Chelsea do have a squad full of talented players, including Reece James, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Caicedo, there are still some areas that need serious work.

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For example, even though the likes of Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho could come good, some fans would argue they could do with upgrading at some point, as could the two striker signings the club made in the summer.

However, another area of the squad that perhaps needs the most immediate attention is the defence, specifically at centre-back.

Therefore, it would make sense for the Blues to target someone who could help come in and make that area of the pitch far stronger.

There are likely several defenders Chelsea are currently looking at from across the footballing world, but if BlueCo really want to give Rosenior the best chance of succeeding this season and beyond, they should go all out for Marc Guehi.

The West Londoners have been linked with the Englishman plenty of times before, like in the summer last year.

However, there are two potential hurdles to any deal: Liverpool and Manchester City’s reported interest, and the fact that Crystal Palace would demand a hefty fee to sell him this month.

According to reports from earlier this month, the Eagles could demand as much as, if not more than £35m but if they wait until the summer and no one else acquires his signature, he will be available on a free transfer.

Why Guehi could be Chelsea's best signing since Caicedo

There are two primary reasons why Guehi could end up being Chelsea’s best signing since Caicedo, and the first, as mentioned above, is down to the team’s current weakness at the back.

For example, as things stand, the Blues have conceded 22 goals in the league alone, and while that isn’t terrible, it’s eight more than the league leaders, four more than Manchester City and even three more than Sunderland.

So, if Rosenior could come in and help sure up the back, there is every chance that the Blues could find themselves rapidly closing in on Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut once more.

Therefore, the player who helps make that become a reality would surely be one of the club’s best signings in a very long time.

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Now, stepping back from the team’s defensive record this season, the other reason Guehi could be a Caicedo-type signing is the simple fact that he is an immensely talented player.

On top of being vastly experienced in the Premier League and being a vital player for England, he played a crucial role in Palace winning their first significant honour in their history last season.

Moreover, his underlying numbers prove that on top of being rock solid at the back, he’s no slouch with the ball at his feet.

Guehi’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

npxG + xAG

0.19

Top 4%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.32

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.21

Top 6%

Switches

0.95

Top 6%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.05

Top 6%

Progressive Carries

1.21

Top 7%

Progressive Passes

5.42

Top 7%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.42

Top 7%

Assists

0.11

Top 10%

Passes into Penalty Area

0.42

Top 10%

Ball Recoveries

4.47

Top 10%

Key Passes

0.47

Top 15%

Passes into Final Third

5.05

Top 15%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, the 6 foot “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Bobby Manzi, ranks in the top 4% of centre-backs in the Premier League for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 6% for switches, the top 7% for progressive carries and passes, the top 10% for ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would be a difficult deal to get over the line, Chelsea should do all they can to sign Guehi, as he could be their best purchase since Caicedo.

Related Chelsea line up British record move to sign £130m Neto upgrade for Rosenior

The incredible international would be the perfect signing for Rosenior and send Neto packing.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

A midfield revolution is coming at Manchester United. The Red Devils need more bodies in the middle of the park, especially if Ruben Amorim decides to stick with the 4-3-3 formation he deployed for 45 minutes against Newcastle United.

Either way, there is a clear need to add more options in midfield. Kobbie Mainoo’s immediate future is still up in the air, and Manuel Ugarte has not shown the levels required to play at the highest level for United.

Casemiro has yet to sign a one-year contract extension, which Amoirm confirmed in a press conference last week.

When United do inevitably sign a midfielder, it seems as though they will come from within the Premier League.

United want to sign Premier League midfielder

There are already some strong links which suggest United will spend a lot of money on a new midfielder. Two of those reports name England midfield duo Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton as potential targets for the Red Devils.

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However, a new report from the highly regarded Fabrizio Romano has once again linked United to Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The journalist, speaking on his Youtube channel, said that “internal talks at the club have not stopped discussing” a move for the Cameroonian star, who has been an INEOS target since the summer.

Romano explains that the Red Devils “remain in contact with people close to the player,” suggesting INEOS will pounce as soon as a move becomes a real possibility.

Of course, this deal wouldn’t be cheap, with United needing to break their transfer record and spend £100m to sign Baleba.

Why Baleba could be the next Pogba

21-year-old Baleba’s quality in midfield is undeniable. He has struggled for consistency this term on the South Coast, but is still an excellent player at his best, described as a “beast” in midfield by football scout Antonio Mango.

Indeed, this season has been a tougher one under Fabian Hurzeler. The Brighton manager has only given Baleba a full 90 minutes in the Premier League once, with the midfielder playing 903 minutes across 16 games.

Don’t let the fact that he hasn’t played as much this term deceive you, though. His importance and quality were highlighted in the 2024/25 campaign, as he made 34 Premier League appearances and played 90 minutes in 17 of them.

He also scored three goals, including this stunning hit against West Ham United.

His numbers from last term are also impressive.

The former Lille player showed his quality on the ball, averaging 1.2 take-ons per 90 minutes, and also how destructive he is without possession, making 6.7 ball recoveries each game.

Baleba key stats in 24/25 PL

Stat

Per 90 mins

Season total

Forward passes

10

296

Take-ons completed

1.2

33

Duels won

6.8

199

Interceptions

1.6

46

Ball recoveries

6.7

197

Stats from Squawka

If United are to sign Baleba, it will smash their transfer record, which is currently the £89m fee they spent on Paul Pogba back in 2016.

Of course, the Frenchman had moments of magic at United despite struggling with injuries throughout his stint at the club.

In that second spell at Old Trafford, the Carrington graduate made 226 appearances for the club. He scored 39 times and assisted 51, helping the club win the Europa League and the Carabao Cup.

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He was one of the finest midfielders around, largely thanks to his incredible technical ability.

Interestingly, Baleba has previously identified the 2018 World Cup winner as his “number one” idol growing up. The similarities go further than two players who would be United’s record signing, though.

The pair are both powerful ball carriers in midfield, able to collect the ball in deeper areas and progress it through the lines. As he showed last season, the Cameroonian star has an eye for a spectacular goal, like Pogba has done so often across his career.

There is no doubt that £100m is a huge investment for INEOS and United. However, they are looking to refresh their midfield, and Baleba could be the perfect option to help Amorim’s side in this revolution.

Related Dream Ugarte upgrade: Man Utd could see bid accepted for £26m "warrior"

Manchester United’s midfield woes simply must be solved in January.

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Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Michael Bridge of Sky Sports has raved over Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier for his general form this season.

The Lowdown: Dier impressing for Spurs…

Overall, it has hard to make the argument against the 28-year-old being one of Spurs’ best players in the current campaign.

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Indeed, the Englishman may have seemingly fired himself back into international contention in time for the Three Lions’ 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar later this year.

Speaking earlier this season, Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle explained his disbelief over how ‘different’ Dier looks under Antonio Conte, whilst also praising the Italian for ‘getting a tune’ out of the 28-year-old.

The Latest: Bridge praises Dier…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports reporter Bridge has now made his own claim on Dier’s general form throughout 2021/22, calling him the Lilywhites’ ‘most improved’ player under the 52-year-old.

When asked about the centre-back, the journalist replied: “I think he’s Tottenham’s most improved player under Conte.”

The Verdict: Deserved praise…

Often criticised for his performances last season, Dier’s rejuvenation under Conte has arguably been one of the standout Spurs success stories of the current campaign.

Bridge and Hoddle aren’t the only members of the media to single out the 28-year-old’s impressive form, with another reporter in Paul Brown calling the player and his passing ‘underrated’ (GiveMeSport).

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Gareth Southgate could well be watching on ahead of the World Cup in November, and it’s safe to say that Dier should be a contender to earn his place back in an England squad for a major tournament for the first time since 2018.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘One to watch’…Media blown away by ‘stunning’ development at Tottenham, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Sven Botman to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by MilanLive (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite interest from both Tottenham and Newcastle United, AC Milan have already agreed personal terms with the LOSC Lille centre-back – believed to be in the region of €3m-per-year (£2.5m-per-year) after tax – ahead of a potential summer swoop.

However, the report goes on to state that the Serie A outfit are yet to agree a deal with the French side regarding the transfer of the 22-year-old, with the Ligue 1 club believed to be demanding a figure in the region of €30m (£25m) in order to part with the Netherlands U21 international at the end of the current campaign.

Paratici must move

Considering the sheer amount of potential Botman quite clearly possesses, in addition to the fact that it has been previously reported that Fabio Paratici is desperate to land the defender in order to appease Antonio Conte, the news that Milan look to have agreed personal terms with the Dutchman is sure to come as a huge blow to Tottenham’s managing director.

Indeed, the £27m-rated centre-back very much appears to be the type of ball-playing left-footed defender the 52-year-old manager would love to have in his Spurs side.

According to FBREF, the 22-year-old ranks in the 69th percentile of all defenders in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted, as well as the 71st percentile for passes completed, the 73rd percentile for progressive passes and the 49th percentile for progressive carries of the ball.

Furthermore, the £18k-per-week titan highly impressed over his 37 Ligue 1 appearances in Lille’s title-winning campaign last season, with the defender helping his side keep a remarkable 20 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 60.6 passes and winning 68% of his duels per game.

These returns saw the player who Duncan Castles dubbed a “machine” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Lille’s joint third-best player in the top flight of French football.

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As such, with Conte in rather desperate need of a new left-footed centre-back in the summer transfer window, Paratici simply must do all he can to beat both AC Milan and Newcastle to the signing of Botman – as the 22-year-old very much looks as if he would be a perfect fit for the Italian’s backline at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In other news: Lost 71% duels: £13.5m-rated Spurs dynamo has still not “taken his chance” under Conte

Newcastle United have been linked with a cut-price move for Barcelona youngster Marc Casado.

The Lowdown: Casado profiled

Casado is primarily a central midfielder but can also play in a holding role and is yet to make a senior first-team appearance at the Nou Camp.

He is out of contract with the Catalan giants in a matter of months and actually shares the same agent as Newcastle winger Ryan Fraser.

The Spaniard is just 18 years of age and captains Barcelona’s Under-19 side, but has already trained with the first team under Xavi Hernandez, an ideal mentor for a young, technical midfielder.

The Latest: Magpies interest

Sports Witness relayed a story from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo on Wednesday regarding Casado.

They claimed that Newcastle, along with Crystal Palace are keeping tabs on the midfielder and are actually best placed to sign the player on a free transfer over the coming months, although Casado would need a work permit to make the move to England.

The Verdict: One for the future?

Even though The Magpies now have a big budget when it comes to transfers, it’s good to see that the club are still looking at shrewd deals for young talent.

Casado would more than likely be a signing for the future due to having no first-team experience, but landing Barcelona’s Under-19 captain on a free transfer feels like a move with a lot to gain and not a lot to lose.

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It seems as if Amanda Staveley is looking to ensure the club operates smartly even with their newfound riches, so this could be a move to keep a close eye on over the coming months.

In other news: Newcastle now ‘on brink’ of deal with player Howe wanted at Bournemouth. 

James Copley has reacted to some news which has now emerged involving Sunderland co-owner Juan Sartori.

The Lowdown: Monaco role

As per L’Equipe (via Copley for The Sunderland Echo), Sartori could now be set to have a more prominent role at Ligue 1 club AS Monaco, having joined their board last year.

He also has a 20% stake in the Stadium of Light club, having initially stepped down as a director after Kyril Louis-Dreyfus bought a majority shareholding earlier last year.

The Latest: Copley reacts

Taking to Twitter, Copley has given his reaction to the update, claiming that ‘you have to wonder’ when Sartori is going to get around to Sunderland, should he accept the role at Monaco. The journalist said:

“Interesting reports regarding Sunderland co-owner Juan Sartori and the potential for more involvement at AS Monaco.

“If true, you have to wonder when he’s going to get around to Sunderland, in which he owns a 20 percent stake.”

The Verdict: No distractions

If Sartori is to have a more prominent position at Monaco, then he should not let it distract from the work that he is doing at Sunderland.

Currently just holding onto a play-off spot in League One, new manager Alex Neil will want money to invest in the squad in the summer, especially if they do not make it out of the division.

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Sartori does show his support for the club, having visited the ground on a semi-regular basis, and he will need to maintain that in order to maintain the faith of the fans.

In other news, these were Sunderland’s three worst performers against Lincoln City

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez…

What’s the talk?

According to Graeme Bailey of Anfield Watch, the Magpies would ‘happily take’ the defender from the Reds in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Everton, Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham are also plotting bids for the England international and are set to compete with Newcastle for his signature.

Forget Burn

Forget current Magpies machine Dan Burn – Gomez would be a sensational signing and one who Newcastle fans would surely love because of the quality he can provide on the pitch.

Jurgen Klopp previously heaped lauded the ex-Charlton man, saying: “Since he is playing as a centre-half again – his natural position – together with Virg [Van Dijk] there is exceptional. He is a sensational footballer, which is good.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good.”

This is high praise from the German, and “sensational” is what Gomez would be for Newcastle as he has defensive quality and the ability to pass the ball out from the back.

In the Champions League last season, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.27 for the Reds, winning 71% of his duels and completing 85% of his passes. He also averaged three tackles and interceptions per game, showing that he can consistently win back the ball for his team whilst also rarely giving possession away with his passing.

Gomez has had a troubled time with injuries of late and his most recent campaign of consistent game-time in the Premier League came as Liverpool won the title in 2019/20. The centre-back averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 as he helped the Reds to keep 12 clean sheets in just 22 starts, also completing 88% of his passes.

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The £30m tank was labelled an “unbelievable” player by team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold, which shows how highly he is rated by his peers. His team-mates watch him in training every day and his quality behind the scenes has clearly caught the eye of the Liverpool academy graduate. 

Therefore, the 24-year-old would be an excellent signing for the Magpies, as the statistics suggest that he is a quality performer at the top level; and comments from his manager and one of his team-mates back up the stats with their experience of watching him play. This is why Newcastle fans should forget about Burn and instead get excited about a potential deal for Gomez.

AND in other news, Howe can finally axe £61m dud as NUFC plot bid to sign “exceptional” 25 y/o “wildcard”…

According to club insider ExWHUemployee, West Ham are hopeful that Jarrod Bowen will be available for the upcoming clash against Everton next Sunday.

The Lowdown: Bowen’s injury

During the Irons’ 1-0 loss to Liverpool earlier this month, the 25-year-old was forced into a premature exit after sustaining an injury to his foot, cutting his game short in the 53rd minute. The winger has been sidelined ever since, having missed the Hammers’ last four games as a result.

Whilst the club had previously announced that Bowen had not sustained significant damage from the foot injury, varying reports have since arisen to the contrary.

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The Latest: Ex’s news on Bowen

When interviewed for his website The West Ham Way, ExWHUemployee was questioned by the site’s editor Mark Carlaw about Bowen’s eagerly-awaited return.

Shared on Twitter, he responded with: “Well as of now the club are hopeful that Bowen will be back for the Everton game. There is an element of confusion surrounding the injury, but from what I am told, the match against Everton is seen as his potential return. This also goes the same for Coufal.”

The Verdict: Huge boost

This news will come as a huge boost to David Moyes as his West Ham side set to prepare for a congested period over the next few weeks. It begins with a Premier League fixture against a struggling Everton side before one of the club’s most important clashes of the modern era as they host Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

As the Hammers’ top scorer, Bowen’s return could prove to be massive for Moyes, as the Irons have struggled for goals without their star winger. To supplement his value in front of goal, the former Hull City man also adds a creative dynamic in the final third, illustrated by ranking in the 89th percentile for assists made among positional peers in Europe’s five top-ranked leagues (via FBRef).

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Therefore, if the 25-year-old can make his return in time for the upcoming bouts against Everton and Lyon, it would provide the east Londoners with a tremendous boost ahead of the season’s run-in.

In other news: West Ham target has ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to leave his current club

Tottenham are battling their Premier League rivals Arsenal in the race to sign Middlesbrough defender Djed Spence in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser initially revealed on Twitter: “Djed Spence will move this summer with Arsenal, Tottenham and Bayern Munich all in the race. Boost for all involved as the fee could be as low as £12m, though given the interest a bidding war could see that go up. #THFC #AFC”

In a follow-up article, he added: “A number of clubs are tracking Spence, who will have a year left on his Boro contract come the end of this campaign. Senior figures at the Riverside Stadium know they will not be able to keep hold of the player this summer.

“As well as north London rivals Arsenal and Spurs, German giants Bayern Munich are also keeping a close eye on Spence’s progress.”Conte will be buzzingSpence became the talk of the town earlier this calendar year when he helped to knock out Arsenal in the FA Cup third round – a performance which saw Ian Wright waxing lyrical while on punditry duty.The Gunners icon said: “Let me say, that was one of the best right-back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time. I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”With Spurs’ own right-back Emerson struggling badly since his big-money move last year – he has even been dubbed a “liability” by some fans – Antonio Conte could well find his ideal replacement in Spence.Indeed, former Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate recently claimed that the flying full-back would come in and immediately be an upgrade on Emerson.He said: “If you play in La Liga like Emerson Royal has, balls don’t really go into the box that much to the back post.  You don’t need to do that much defending. In the Premier League, it happens week in, week out. I’ve watched Emerson Royal and Djed Spence for Nottingham Forest, and Spence looks a different level, compared to him.”The 6 foot machine could be an exciting addition to this Spurs team, and one which would have Conte absolutely buzzing.AND in other news – Sold in 2020, now worth £34m: Spurs suffered double disaster over 26 y/o “machine”

The win is ultimately all that matters, but that was a painful watch for Chelsea fans.

Enzo Maresca’s side travelled to the Welsh Capital to take on Cardiff City in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Tuesday night, but didn’t look two divisions better off than the hosts.

The Blues looked way off the pace from the first minute, and aside from Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto, it’s hard to think of any other players who could leave the pitch with their heads held high.

In fact, it’s easier to list those who stood out for all the wrong reasons, including one starter who took fewer touches than Filip Jørgensen and simply has to be dropped.

Chelsea's poor performers against Cardiff

Starting in the back line, and while it sounds harsh, not one of the starting back four had a good game, albeit Josh Acheampong was the best of a bad bunch.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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The others all looked rushed in possession, failed to read the game and lost the ball 25 times between them, which would be bad enough against a top side, let alone one in League One.

In particular, there was another concerning display from the most senior defender of the lot, Tosin Adarabioyo.

Chelsea’s back four

Player

Lost Possession

Acheampong

9x

Adarabioyo

13x

Badiashile

5x

Hato

7x

All Stats via Sofascore

The 28-year-old looked the most shaky on the ball, completing just 86% of his overall passes and losing the ball the most out of anyone – 13 times.

Moving into the middle of the park, and while Moises Caicedo was one of the West Londoners’ better players, he is now going to miss the first leg of the semi-final due to the yellow card he received for petulantly clapping the referee.

If the Blues get drawn against one of the top sides, that could be a seriously costly error.

Finally, up top, it just wasn’t Marc Guiu’s night.

The young Spaniard wasn’t able to cope with the Welsh side’s physical nature and ended up missing the one he had in the first half.

The former Barcelona gem was replaced at the break, having taken just a single shot on target, failed to play a key pass, and lost 66% of his aerial duels.

However, there was a starter who was even worse than the striker, someone who simply has to be dropped for the next game.

The Chelsea flop Maresca must drop

For those Chelsea fans who had the misfortune of watching the game, it will come as no surprise that the player who must be dropped is Jamie Gittens.

It’s no secret that the Englishman has had a tough start to his Blues career following his mega-money move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.

In the 19 matches before Tuesday night, the 21-year-old had scored just a single goal and provided five assists, so there might’ve been hope from the management that a game against a third-tier side would offer the perfect chance for him to bolster his statistics.

Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way, and the winger once again looked way out of his depth.

Gittens’ game v Cardiff

Minutes

66′

Shots on Target

0

Goals

0

Assists

0

Crosses

0

Accurate Passes

21/25 (84%)

Touches

41

Lost Possession

10

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

8 (2)

Aeria Duels (Won)

2 (0)

All Stats via Sofascore

For example, in his disappointing 66 minutes of action, he failed to take a single shot on target, didn’t attempt a cross, completed just 84% of his 25 attempted passes, lost the ball ten times, failed in 100% of his dribbles and lost 80% of his duels.

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Moreover, the youngster took only 41 touches, 17 fewer than Jørgensen, which just goes to show how limited his impact was.

With statistics like those, it’s hard to disagree with the Express’ Tom Parsons, who gave him just a 4/10 match rating, writing that he was ‘was dispossessed too easily’ and ‘lucky to stay on at half-time.’

Ultimately, there is still plenty of time for Gittens to turn things around at Chelsea.

However, if he keeps on putting in performances like the one against Cardiff, then it’ll become harder and harder to disagree with one analyst’s claim that he’s been a “pointless signing.

Related Dream for Estevao: Chelsea want to sign "one of the best wing-backs in the PL"

The Premier League star would be an incredible signing for Chelsea and would help get even more out of Estevao.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes